What is a cochlear implant?

A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic

device that can help to provide a sense of sound to
a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-
hearing. The implant consists of an external portion
that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is
surgically placed under the skin (see gure).
An implant has the following parts:
A microphone, which picks up sound from the
environment.
A speech processor, which selects and arranges
sounds picked up by the microphone.
A transmitter and receiver/stimulator, which receive
signals from the speech processor and convert them
into electric impulses.
An electrode array, which is a group of electrodes
that collects the impulses from the stimulator and
sends them to different regions of the
auditory nerve.
An implant does not restore normal hearing. Instead,
it can give a deaf person a useful representation of
sounds in the environment and help him or her to
understand speech.
How does a cochlear implant work?
A cochlear implant is very different from a hearing
aid. Hearing aids amplify sounds so they may be
detected by damaged ears. Cochlear implants bypass
damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the
auditory nerve. Signals generated by the implant are
sent by way of the auditory nerve to the brain, which
recognizes the signals as sound. Hearing through a
cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and
takes time to learn or relearn. However, it allows many
people to recognize warning signals, understand other
sounds in the environment, and enjoy a conversation
in person or by telephone.
Transmitter
Receiver/stimulator
Microphone
Electrode
array
Ear with cochlear implant
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NIDCD Fact Sheet
Cochlear Implants
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
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Who gets cochlear implants?
Children and adults who are deaf or severely
hard-of-hearing can be tted for cochlear implants.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), as of December 2010, approximately 219,000
people worldwide have received implants. In the
United States, roughly 42,600 adults and 28,400
children have received them.
Adults who have lost all or most of their hearing later
in life often can benet from cochlear implants. They
learn to associate the signal provided by an implant
with sounds they remember. This often provides
recipients with the ability to understand speech solely
by listening through the implant, without requiring
any visual cues such as those provided by lipreading or
sign language.
Cochlear implants, coupled with intensive
postimplantation therapy, can help young children
to acquire speech, language, and social skills. Most
children who receive implants are between 2 and 6
years old. Early implantation provides exposure to
sounds that can be helpful during the critical period
when children learn speech and language skills. In
2000, the FDA lowered the age of eligibility to 12
months for one type of cochlear implant.
How does someone receive a
cochlear implant?
Use of a cochlear implant requires both a surgical
procedure and signicant therapy to learn or relearn
the sense of hearing. Not everyone performs at the
same level with this device. The decision to receive
an implant should involve discussions with medical
specialists, including an experienced cochlear-implant
surgeon. The process can be expensive. For example,
a persons health insurance may cover the expense,
but not always. Some individuals may choose not
to have a cochlear implant for a variety of personal
reasons. Surgical implantations are almost always safe,
although complications are a risk factor, just as with
any kind of surgery. An additional consideration is
learning to interpret the sounds created by an implant.
This process takes time and practice. Speech-language
pathologists and audiologists are frequently involved in
this learning process. Prior to implantation, all of these
factors need to be considered.
What does the future hold for
cochlear implants?
With advancements in technology and continued
follow-up studies with people who already have
received implants, researchers are evaluating how
cochlear implants might be used for other types of
hearing loss.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other
Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is supporting
research to improve upon the benets provided
by cochlear implants. It may be possible to use a
shortened electrode array, inserted into a portion
of the cochlea, for individuals whose hearing loss is
limited to the higher frequencies. Other studies are
exploring ways to make a cochlear implant convey the
sounds of speech more clearly. Researchers also are
looking at the potential benets of pairing a cochlear
implant in one ear with either another cochlear
implant or a hearing aid in the other ear.
NIDCD Fact Sheet
Cochlear Implants
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Where can I nd more information?
The NIDCD maintains a directory of organizations
that provide information on the normal and
disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste,
voice, speech, and language. Please see the list of
organizations at http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory.
Use the following keywords to help you search for
organizations that can answer questions and provide
printed or electronic information on cochlear implants:
Cochlear implants
Assistive technology
Assistive listening device
For more information, additional addresses and phone
numbers, or a printed list of organizations, contact:
NIDCD Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
Toll-free Voice: (800) 241-1044
Toll-free TTY: (800) 241-1055
Fax: (301) 770-8977
E-mail: nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
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NIDCD supports and conducts research and research training on the
normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste,
voice, speech, and language and provides health information, based
upon scientic discovery, to the public.
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NIDCD Fact Sheet: Cochlear Implants
NIH Publication No. 11-4798
Updated March 2011
For more information, contact:
NIDCD Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
Toll-free Voice: (800) 2411044
Toll-free TTY: (800) 2411055
Fax: (301) 7708977
E-mail: nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov
The NIDCD Information Clearinghouse is a service of the
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication
Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.